


Magnificent!

by Starlithorizon



Series: Alchemy and Guitar Ties [35]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Duxford, Established Relationship, Fluff, Flying, M/M, Skipthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-05
Updated: 2013-07-05
Packaged: 2017-12-17 19:49:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/871336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlithorizon/pseuds/Starlithorizon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin and Arthur spend a day at Duxford Air Museum, flying around like the magnificent men that they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magnificent!

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of a silly, fluffy thing that came out of left field!

It was a bit of a drive, but it was one Martin could make while blind. It was also quite a nice drive behind the wheel of Arthur's shiny red car, husband holding his hand over the console.

"Are you excited about taking the Tiger Moth out?" Arthur asked, grinning through the windscreen as they hurtled toward Duxford Air Museum.

"Of course! This will be the first time they let me up without an instructor!"

As neither man had no need to worry about money, they spent quite a lot of time at the air museum, looking at planes they became intimately familiar with, making friends with the people who worked at the cafes, and becoming familiar faces around the air shows. Everyone knew the Crieff-Shappey couple, the pair of CEOs, one of which did double duty as the captain of his husband's airline.

Now, today, Martin was going up with one of the Duxford volunteers, rather than an instructor. After taking the Tiger Moth out nearly a dozen times, they'd finally decided that, all right, he was good up there. He was going to fly, with the volunteer only taking control if Martin needed it.

Arthur was excited to be flying with an instructor, though. Finally, after all these years, he'd decided that he was going to learn to fly. He was going to follow his dream to become a pilot, even if he did nothing more than keep his pilot's license in a box somewhere.

Martin, of course, had been extraordinarily supportive and encouraging. He had borrowed someone's plane for a few afternoons, teaching Arthur the basics, and even letting him take control once or twice. It had been an absolutely amazing experience, and when they went home, Arthur made his happiness _very_ well known.

So now they were pulling into Duxford's car park, each thrilling with excitement. They bought their tickets and hurried to the helpful, waiting pilots and their planes.

"Ah, hello, gentlemen!" Arthur's instructor called jovially, holding up a hand in greeting. The couple waved and stood near Martin's favourite Tiger Moth. It was all Martin could do to keep from running a reverent hand over the machine.

"You look terribly keen to take off, Captain Crieff-Shappey," Martin's companion said with a smile. "I like that sort of enthusiasm!"

"Yes, well, I always look forward to taking off," he admitted only slightly bashfully. Martin was slowly coming to grips with the skin he wore, enthusiastic and pompous though it was, and he was infinitely more confident than the flushed young mess who had come to MJN so long ago.

Martin did the walk-around for this pleasure flight, though the guide was more than willing. He also went through meticulous checks, and the guide was uncertain as to whether he was annoyed or comforted by this.

On the ground, Arthur watched in delight as Martin wheeled the beautiful contraption through the sky. He clapped as Martin did loop-the-loops, barrel rolls, and just about whatever aerodynamic marvel he could think of that was allowed with the guide up there with him. He was a beautiful thing in the sky, free and blissful and perfect. This, Arthur knew, was what Martin _really_ meant when he talked about how much he loved flying.

"He's great up there, isn't he?" asked Arthur's instructor. The steward and CEO turned to him with a tremendous smile.

"Oh, he's _brilliant_! Skip loves flying, and he's amazing at it!"

"He certainly is."

Up in the expansive blue, Martin was barely restraining whoops and hollers as he whirled the little plane in a tidy barrel roll. His inner ear problem was mercifully ignoring all the spinning, likely kept at bay by sheer excitement, and anyway, that's really what the guide was for. He was to take the control if Martin passed out, but so far, it was all going beautifully.

"How much longer have I got left?" he called to the guide over the rush of wind and adrenalin.

"Oh, about ten minutes?"

"Perfect."

That was just enough time to execute at least one more trick before landing.

* * *

Arthur pressed a kiss to Martin's lips once he alighted from the Tiger Moth, all flushed and grinning.

"All right, Mr Crieff-Shappey, you're up!"

"You'll do great, love," Martin said around a smile.

"Thanks!"

It wasn't until Arthur took off that the dizziness struck, slamming into him after waiting politely in the air. He wobbled before collapsing in a gangly heap on the asphalt.

* * *

When he came to, the guide was standing over him, a million vivid shades of anxious.

"You're all right?" he asked, holding out a hand and helping Martin to his feet.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Inner ear problem."

Now it was Arthur's turn in the sky, and he flew fairly well for someone who was just learning. Martin was struck with a surge of pride, for both Arthur and himself. He had taught Arthur from scratch, and Arthur had taken to it wonderfully. Martin was a surprisingly good teacher, and Arthur was a surprisingly good student (provided there were no fractions involved). When he landed and scrambled out of the plan, the couple was beaming and proud and just so happy.

"You were wonderful, love!" Martin exclaimed, arms winding tightly around Arthur's waist.

"Was I?"

"Yes, absolutely amazing."

They bid their instructor and guide goodbye and headed to the cafe for a quick lunch before heading home to make use of the adrenalin.

"Happy anniversary, love," Arthur said sleepily as he nuzzled into Martin's neck before drifting off for the night.

"Happy anniversary."


End file.
